Games Quakers (parakeets) play

[HeatherG]

I would love to know what activities people do with their Quakers as I get to know my Willow better. Willow likes head and neck petting and riding around on my shoulder or on his basket. But he’s not much for toys and is scared of new toys in new places so we can’t play fetch (for example).
I used to sing songs with my Quaker Lucy and she would sing along and rock out like Stevie wonder. She loved vocal music and she loved me to play guitar for her. Also the Kiss Game: I would ask for a kiss and she’d give me a beak-touch kiss with either a little kiss noise or, if I instigated, a bigger and bigger smooch noise. She was helpful, or embarrassing, when I had guests (that is, yelling suggestions from her cage). Willow doesn’t seem to love being sung to but he does play the kiss game if I say “gimme kiss” and makes that noise from his cage at night.
Willow mostly likes a long head scratch, head rub, or snuggle. Lucy would weave or arrange toys and I’d hand her things to use. Willow doesn’t weave and is scared of new things more than Lucy was. He doesn’t destroy his toys or carry them around. Maybe that’s a girl bird thing.
Both birds like to ride around with me while I do things. Lucy learned to beak my phone or tablet so I couldn’t read or surf; Willow is just now learning to do that.

Willow was starting to say new words (before I got this nasty nasty bug) and seemed much more secure now that I’ve got him stepping up for a treat instead of picking him up. Otherwise he is pretty quiet, but my apartment is pretty quiet. He’s becoming more outgoing. He may never enjoy a block party but he likes to go get the mail or do recycling or water a few plants. What else can I do with Willow? Does he need to learn to ride a skateboard, play basketball, or paint on a canvas to be happy? Am I too boring?

 

[zERo]

I would love to know what activities people do with their Quakers as I get to know my Willow better. Willow likes head and neck petting and riding around on my shoulder or on his basket. But he’s not much for toys and is scared of new toys in new places so we can’t play fetch (for example).
I used to sing songs with my Quaker Lucy and she would sing along and rock out like Stevie wonder. She loved vocal music and she loved me to play guitar for her. Also the Kiss Game: I would ask for a kiss and she’d give me a beak-touch kiss with either a little kiss noise or, if I instigated, a bigger and bigger smooch noise. She was helpful, or embarrassing, when I had guests (that is, yelling suggestions from her cage). Willow doesn’t seem to love being sung to but he does play the kiss game if I say “gimme kiss” and makes that noise from his cage at night.
Willow mostly likes a long head scratch, head rub, or snuggle. Lucy would weave or arrange toys and I’d hand her things to use. Willow doesn’t weave and is scared of new things more than Lucy was. He doesn’t destroy his toys or carry them around. Maybe that’s a girl bird thing.
Both birds like to ride around with me while I do things. Lucy learned to beak my phone or tablet so I couldn’t read or surf; Willow is just now learning to do that.

Willow was starting to say new words (before I got this nasty nasty bug) and seemed much more secure now that I’ve got him stepping up for a treat instead of picking him up. Otherwise he is pretty quiet, but my apartment is pretty quiet. He’s becoming more outgoing. He may never enjoy a block party but he likes to go get the mail or do recycling or water a few plants. What else can I do with Willow? Does he need to learn to ride a skateboard, play basketball, or paint on a canvas to be happy? Am I too boring?

Your not too boring! He's probably just more layed back. You could get a small cardboard box, one that's smaller than him and put pine slats, or wooden beads or other toy parts in it, I am working with my Quaker to get them out of the box and put them back in. Have you tried showering with him? I have a shower perch for my Quaker (he's my only bird that likes it) and he enjoys going in their. Just a few suggestions, all I can think of right now. Good luck!

 

[Laurasea]

ha Heather you are not too boring! I'm an under achiever in the tricks department.

But being able to enteract with new things, and enrichment of mind and using their bodies to the fullest climbing, flying, chewing up stuff is important. Birds love to climb, dangle, jump( how far can I leap without using wings) then if you add treasures along the way to discover, eat, chomp, foraging. That counts as play and enrichment. Get creative and change it up.

Enrichment ideas, share yours

I'm often posting how I use ceiling hooks abd heavy weight fishing line to create what I call an aerial gym. I attach foraging stuff, stuff to chew, and treats to find to keep my flock busy. So now I will share examples to inspire you. Hopefully you all will share yours to inspire me too! this...

www.parrotforums.com

Many birds develop phobias and or shut down if they have spent way to much time caged and clipped ( learned helplessness)

Many toys are sold to entice humans to spend money but aren't as exciting to parrots. And parrots have individual preferences for what floats thier boat.

Some things that seem to apply to all. Objects they can sink a beak into and cause damage with one chomp. " mom look at what I can do! " for our size birds that's those yucca chips, sola wood balls. Omg they love them but destroy in minutes! Chinese finger traps , that shredded kindle paper that you stuff into something and they pull out. Sea grass, bamboos. Use whole ir big chunks vegetables as something they can destroy and eat. Take a bell pepper and cut a couple if holes in it and stuff it with other veggies. They still need harder wood to chew and shape beak, but they enjoy stuff they can destroy easily.

Redirect Notice

To help get them interested and interactive . Wrap or weave millet spray into toys, or hide treats. Do target training with treats for touching toy. Foraging is rewarding for them

 

[HeatherG]

Your not too boring! He's probably just more layed back. You could get a small cardboard box, one that's smaller than him and put pine slats, or wooden beads or other toy parts in it, I am working with my Quaker to get them out of the box and put them back in. Have you tried showering with him? I have a shower perch for my Quaker (he's my only bird that likes it) and he enjoys going in their. Just a few suggestions, all I can think of right now. Good luck!

Yes, he gets showers with me if I’m not in a big hurry.
He came out nicely this morning without a bribe. I hope we can be pals again.

 

[HeatherG]

ha Heather you are not too boring! I'm an under achiever in the tricks department.

But being able to enteract with new things, and enrichment of mind and using their bodies to the fullest climbing, flying, chewing up stuff is important. Birds love to climb, dangle, jump( how far can I leap without using wings) then if you add treasures along the way to discover, eat, chomp, foraging. That counts as play and enrichment. Get creative and change it up.

Enrichment ideas, share yours

I'm often posting how I use ceiling hooks abd heavy weight fishing line to create what I call an aerial gym. I attach foraging stuff, stuff to chew, and treats to find to keep my flock busy. So now I will share examples to inspire you. Hopefully you all will share yours to inspire me too! this...

www.parrotforums.com

Many birds develop phobias and or shut down if they have spent way to much time caged and clipped ( learned helplessness)

Many toys are sold to entice humans to spend money but aren't as exciting to parrots. And parrots have individual preferences for what floats thier boat.

Some things that seem to apply to all. Objects they can sink a beak into and cause damage with one chomp. " mom look at what I can do! " for our size birds that's those yucca chips, sola wood balls. Omg they love them but destroy in minutes! Chinese finger traps , that shredded kindle paper that you stuff into something and they pull out. Sea grass, bamboos. Use whole ir big chunks vegetables as something they can destroy and eat. Take a bell pepper and cut a couple if holes in it and stuff it with other veggies. They still need harder wood to chew and shape beak, but they enjoy stuff they can destroy easily.

Redirect Notice

To help get them interested and interactive . Wrap or weave millet spray into toys, or hide treats. Do target training with treats for touching toy. Foraging is rewarding for them

I have lots of Quaker and conure sized foot toys and carrying toys to fuss with, but Willow doesnt go to cage floor and is scared of new things. I wonder about a tiny basketball set? It wouldn’t have to be in his cage. He is ok sitting on his basket and finally beginning to manipulate the bell and shoelace-bead stringer with his beak.
Right now Willow is about 3 inches from my face and happily crunching his beak.
I got rid of old perches when Lucy couldn’t grip them but maybe I have a boing stashed away somewhere. They have a big dresser full of bird ‘stuff’.

 

[HeatherG]

Willow and I have been watching talking parrots on YouTube for some enrichment and hoping he will decide to talk more. And he is being louder which makes me happy because a silent Quaker is just not right!

We have found a few Quakers who are very vocal and have videos: Pluto (what does the pig say) Tiki (bacon pancakes?), Kiki (cup of tea good!) and some operatic Amazons. The video Quakers like to play peekaboo so I am trying that with Willow now. If he likes to give kisses then maybe her will like peekaboo.

Willow is now laughing when I laugh. However he doesn’t laugh until he wheezes and then stagger around his cage. I think Lucy was a very smart but weird bird.

 

[Laurasea]

My girls are finally off the burrrrrd only thing they were doing for months. I'm getting a few more hellos and the current favorite is "are you a good bird?" Laughing and "pretty bird " i do miss how Neptune talked up a storm ! It is just plain fun if they talk.